Batting

CLAREMONT, Calif. – Friday's game was thought to be a promising indicator for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps baseball team (7-6, 4-2) as the Stags mercy-ruled the University of La Verne (9-5, 7-2) in their first meeting 12-2 before dropping both Saturday's contest 5-3 and 10-0.

Senior Sam Baughman (CMC) took the mound on Friday afternoon and pitched all seven innings to improve to 3-0 this season. The ace held the Leopards to two runs and struck out five batters, doing an excellent job at keeping his pitches low and away while mixing in his slider.

The Leopards struck first in the top of the second with one out when Dylan Lowenstein reached third on a triple and came home on a sacrifice fly. Baughman retired the next two batters off a fly out and a strikeout to finish the inning. The Stags struck back that same inning after loading the bases off two Leopards' errors and a walk. Sophomore CJ Novogradac (CMC) laced a triple down the right field line to bring home two runs and his classmate Deji Andrew (HMC) followed up with a double to left field to make it 3-1. CMS loaded the bases with one out that same inning and junior Chase Eller (CMC) knocked a double to left center for two RBIs.

The Stags offensive onslaught continued in the bottom of the fifth inning with runners on second and third when Novogradac smacked a double to score one run. Andrew brought in two with a single and later scored on a fielding error from right field. Freshman Henri Levenson (CMC) added one more on a routine grounder to bring home a runner from third to give CMS a 10-1 lead.

The Leopards pounced early in Saturday morning's game, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. CMS would take back one run in the top of the third with a runner on second when Levenson grounded a single to left field to bring one home. Junior Daniel Enzminger (CMC) who came early in the game for relief threw 3.1 shutout innings with two strikeouts to contain the Leopards' offense. However, La Verne woke up in the bottom of the fifth with bases loaded when Isaiah Cruz brought one home with a single to left field. Chris Peres continued the rally with a grounder to bring home one more.

CMS would cut the lead to one in the top of the seventh inning with two outs and runners on first and third when Levenson once again hit a single to the left side to bring in a run. Eller added one more with a single to right field, but the rally was cut short. The Leopards added an insurance in the bottom of the eighth and held on for the win.

Christopher Arcos (3-1) pitched a complete game shutout for the Leopards as they won 10-0. Arcos threw five strikeouts in seven innings of work and did not give up a single hit to help La Verne take the series.